Dredger



Nov. 28, 1944. c. c. HERBE RT DREDGE'R Filed July 1, 1943 in one continuousmovement.

Patented Nov. 28, 1944 omen STATES P E OFFICE DREDGER l Charles Q Herbert, San Jose, Calif. Application July 11, 1943, Serial N0. 493,147

4 Claims.

The present invention relatesparticularly to thetype of dredgers used in the removal and processing of gold bearing earth normally forming the 'b dof a water course, or an artificial body ofwater. 3 i i practice to move the dredger intoposition and i p In this form of placer m'iningit is common then by operation of a drag-line-bucket remove the material from the bed anddeposit it in a processing plant on a separate bottom, the conentire processing plantare associated onthe one dredge'r, and wherein the bucket is automatically 1 carried from the raising to the dumping position It is also an object to provide an assembly that is anchored to the dryground adjacent the forward or bucket-operating end whereby tailings may be discharged freely into the water at the other endand in no way interfere with the dredging operation.

Furthermore, it is an object to provide an assembly that will permit a substantial increase in the quantity of material handled, or processed, in a given time, and one in which an automatic control of the bucket dumping operation is provided.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is, a side elevation of a dredger embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same. I

Figure 3 is a detail illustration of the automatic clutch control.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application I show at l a hull or floating barge on which is mounted a washing plant 2 consisting of a receiving hopper, .trommel, stacker, sluice tables, and all of the necessary equip ment common to such a structure. In an assembly of this kind the receiving hopper is located at the end of the barge opposite to the discharge from the trommel, hereinafter referred to as the front end, and in the present instance the receiving hopper is indicated by the'character 3.

In carrying out, my invention I provide a re cess in the forward end of the barge l as shown at 4, this recess being located immediately below the forward edge of the hopper 3 to permit the unobstructed passage of the bucket 5 back-into the water after the dumping operation.

trol of the bucket being entirely in the hands- .of the operator.

tivelif.

at l--1. This strut is fittedwith a pair of pulleys at its upper end as at 8 and normally is tilted forwardly as shown and supported by contact with the top edge of the hopper but may swing backwardly to a vertical, or nearly vertical position as indicated by thedotted'line 9 in substantial alignment with the rear edgelof hopper 3.

A boom l0 ispivoted on supports H on either side er. the barge l at its forwardend, from which points it projects forwardly of the barge and converges to form a triangleya'nd is fitted with aground penetratingmooring pin at its forward end and a sheaveat l2 and I3 respec- Th dragline bucket l4 and its carrying cables 15 and 16 on pulleys 8 and I3 together with. the

cone clutch controlled drums l1 whichoperate standard construction, indicated generally at I8.

But the. clutches and drums and controlling means are mounted on a deck l9 overlying the washing apparatus with the said operating means passing close to the strut 6 with one of said controlling means having a pin 20 extending laterally therefrom in the path of travel of the strut 6 so that when the said strut is moved to its vertical position it will contact the pin 20 and a-ctuate the controlling means to disengage the clutch to which it is connected.

The dragline bucket I4 is manipulated and controlled exactly in accordance with known practice, except that the boomwhich handles it is mounted directly on the same barge the plant 2 is mounted on. The common practice of mounting this boom on a separate conveyance and in such a manner as to permit its being swung in all directions as it carries the loaded bucket, requires that it be exceptionally strong and rigid which means that it is a costly item.

By mounting the 'boom l0 directly on the barge l and placing the major portion of the load on the strut 6 I am enabled to build the boom cheap ly and economically and to use it, with the pin I2, for mooring the barge. And since the bucket and its load is carried mainly by the nearly vertical strut 6 and no universal swinging movement of the. boom H1 is required the lifting and At 6 I show a boom or strut straddling the discharging of the load is greatly simplified. U

Assuming the barge to be properly placed and the bucket I 4 to be in the position shown, the l controlling means is manipulated to lower the bucket through the recess 4 to the bottom of the body of water 2| and then to draw the same forwardly and upwardly, in which operation the bucket acquires a load of the gold bearing alluvial soil. When the bucket emerges from the water the controls are operated to pull it upwardly past the position shown until it reaches the top end of its flight, when continued movement will cause the strut 6 to swing backwardly until it appreaches a vertical position and the bucket is suspended over hopper 3. At this time the controls should be manipulated to halt. the. rearward movement, but if the operator is inattentive and neglects to act the controls will be automatically actuated to efiect this result as described. The bucket may then be emptied into the hopper 3 and the operation repeated, the strut 6 swinging back to its angular position for the lowering of the bucket as the direction of movement of the cables is reversed.

lie in the path of travel of the strut at the close ;wardly with respect to the hopper, a dragline and Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to securefiby Letters Patent, is: r

l. The combination with a dredge! barge-for placer mining: having a washing plant disposed thereon including a receiving hopper mounted r adjacent its forward-end, of a forked boom mounted on :its fiorward end on either side of the hopper, a forked strut pivotally mounted. on the barge on either side of the hopper rearwardly of the boom and on. a horizontal axis adjacent the rear plane of the hopper, and normally tilted forwardly therefrom, a dragline-and bucket operatively mounted on said. boom andstrut, and op erating means for said dragline including clutch controlled drums, operating rods for the clutches extending forwardly toapass in close proximity tothe: strut, means for actuating the rods, and an auxiliarymeansfor automatically operating one rod to disengage one clutch comprising a pin mounted. to extend laterally from one rod and bucket operatively mounted on said boom and strut, and operating means for said dragline in cluding clutch controlled drums, operating rods for theclutches extending forwardly to pass in close proximity to th strut, means for actuating the rods, and an auxiliary means for automatically operating one rod to disengage one clutch comprising a pin disposed to extend laterally from ,one rodand lie in the path oftr'avel of the. strut at the close of its rearward movement.

4. The combination with adredger barge for placer mining having a washing plant disposed thereon including a receiving hopper mounted adjacent its forward end, of a boom mounted on its forward end adjacent the hopper, a strut pivotally mounted on the barge adjacent the hopper rearwardly of the boom and normally tilted forwardly with respect to the hopper, a dragline and bucket operatively mounted on. said boom and. strut, and operating means for said draglineincluding clutch controlled drums, operating rods for the clutches extending forwardly of the barge, and strut actuated means operative to actuate one rod to disengage one clutch at the close of its rearward movement. V

CI lARLES C. HERBERT. 

